RELATED APPLICATIONS
There are no applications related hereto heretofore filed in this or any foreign country.
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to toys and more particularly to a toy having a peripheral element formed of plastic bubble packing material defining an internal chamber filled with comestible stuffing material for use especially in juvenile counseling, education and psychology.
2. Background and Description of Prior Art
Bubble packing material formed by one or more sheets of flexible material, generally of a polymeric type defining a plurality of spaced gas filled pockets or "bubbles" originated in the fairly recent past for protecting packaged goods of a delicate nature and has gained substantial favor and use in the modern marketplace. Since the material has come into use it has become a popular toy or play article for many people and especially juveniles who gain pleasure and amusement from bursting the gas filled bubbles formed in the material by pressure exerted manually or otherwise. Because of the popularity of bubble packaging material as a toy per se, it, or simulations of it, have come into the marketplace for use as toys.
The destruction of bubbles in bubble packing material appears to have a tension relieving function in the bubble destroyer and the material has been used for this purpose not only by juveniles, but also by adults, as evidence by the existing general and patent literature. The instant invention seeks to provide a toy synergistically combining the amusement and pleasure associated with destroying bubbles in bubble packing material, the long known desirable effects of manual play with resiliently deformable three dimensional toys simulating natural objects and the pleasures of consumption of comestibles or its contemplation to create a toy of general desirability that is especially useful in juvenile psychology, counseling and education.
Dealing with juveniles in psychological, counseling or educational settings is often difficult because of the incomplete development of the patient's cognitive and reasoning functions, the novelty and unfamiliarity with the process and persons involved in it, short attention span and general lack of interest in the proceedings. Since toys are something familiar to and generally desirable by the patient they have been found useful in such work, somewhat in the nature of a placebo, to keep juvenile attention, alleviate fears and tensions and provide a reasonably pleasurable experience, all to aid the productivity of the processes.
My invention resides not in any one of these features or elements individually, but rather in the synergistic combination of all of the elements and structures forming my toy which necessarily give rise to the functions and uses flowing therefrom.